Inevitable
by Ella Cieux
Summary: Everything that's been leading to the inevitable change in Bobby and Alex's relationship.
1. Chapter 1

"I- I'm a size thirteen," At that Alexandra Eames couldn't help but laugh. It almost made up for being hit on by the runner up for "Slimiest Man in History," almost. She didn't enjoy being hung out as bait but she was willing to do it if it meant locking up a man who murdered four, almost five, women. Of course she knew that her partner was behind the mirror should Talbot attempt something, sleazy. Part of her was glad she was partnered with the questionable Robert Goren, the other part wanted to smack him until his brain rattled for putting her in this situation. Part of her wasn't sure about his tactics, hell even his state of mind at times, but then it always seemed to work out for the better at the end of what ever it was that he was doing.

Lost in her thoughts Alex nearly didn't back up in time as the one way mirror shattered around her. Shaking her self out of said thoughts she looked up through the shattered glass to see her partner cuff and nearly throw Talbot at the uniformed officers that had come busting through the door at the noise. Bobby (she wasn't even sure when her mental self started referring to him as that) had his "post-interrogation" face, as she referred to it, as he stood looking through the hole she was also looking through. She had come to expect this demeanor after about their third interrogation. He stood almost emotionless, his eyes blank, his breathing shallow yet completely controlled, and the least noticeable was the way his fists where clenching and unclenching. Shaking her head, Alex stepped over the glass before rounding towards the still open door of the interrogation room. She knocked on the door to get his attention. Bobby jumped at the noise and looked over to her with a sheepish, almost little boy, look on his face. He was so damn cute when he did that, Alex paused with her mouth open as she realized what she just thought.

"Sorry," Bobby said as he stepped towards her.

Right, anger, she was angry, Alex could to angry. "Damn right you are," she said crossing her arms over her chest in a defiant manner.

"We got him though," Bobby said hoping to shake away some of his partners anger at him.

"We? Excuse me? No it's more like you and yourself got him while I was just catnip," Alex snipped at him before turning and walking away briskly.

Halfway to her desk she felt his hand grab her arm gently, she was suddenly aware that his hand took up most of her lower arm. Suddenly she was hearing something she hadn't registered earlier, "You-you have small hands", oh god that was not a place you went for on your partner, even in your thoughts.

"Eames?" Bobby asked looking down at his partner who seemed to have disappeared into her mind.

"What?" Alex asked looking back up at Bobby realizing she had just completely spaced on him.

"Are you okay?" Bobby asked knowing he was supposed to be the one who left reality at random times, not Alex.

"Yeah fine, just thinking up ways to maim you, Carver, and Deakins," Alex said giving a slight shrug.

"Before we get to the maiming how about letting me try to make it up," Bobby suggested suddenly cautious of his tiny partner.

"Talk," Alex said glaring at Bobby, her arms resuming there defensive position across her chest.

"I'll make you dinner… this will count to make up for Carver and the Captain," Bobby suggest smiling at Alex's manner.

"It better be good, Goren," Alex said almost smiling off of the smile Bobby was giving her.

"You like chicken and spaghetti?"

"Yeah but your place I'm letting you no where near my kitchen," Alex said before walking to her desk and grabbing her coat.

"Alright then," Bobby nodded.

"I still have to go home and get a shower I'll be around afterwards," she said before turning and walking out the door.

* * *

Bobby sighed to himself wishing Alex had given him a time that she was coming. Her apology dinner was ready and he had tidied up, showered, and gotten redressed and she still wasn't here. He was about to call her, his hand on the phone, when the buzzer sounded. Making his way through his living room to the door he pressed the intercom button. "Hello?" he asked already guessing it was Alex. 

"I'm freezing my ass off, Goren," Alex's voice sounded through the speakers.

Not even bothering to respond Bobby pressed the door button before unlocking his apartment door. Walking back to his kitchen, he was just beginning to stir the sauce as he heard the door open and then close and lock. Only Alex would let herself into his apartment without announcing it loudly. Turning as he felt her presence not far behind him, he smiled at her to acknowledge her. He was a little surprised even though he didn't let it show. She wasn't wearing the work clothing he had only seen her in, not that he expected her to. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans, sneakers, and a black sweater with some sort of Asian symbol in gray on it. Her hair was still damp and pulled back, except for a few too short strands, out of her face.

"Smells good," Alex said walking over looking through the two pots on his stove.

"I hope so, my object is to save myself and two others from being dismembered," Bobby said swatting Alex's hand away from the red sauce.

"I've decided against dismemberment but my gun is also locked in my house so I doubt I'll kill you that way," She said with an impish smile before walking and sitting down at the table.

Bobby simply nodded and went back to finishing the meal. Grabbing two plates from the cupboard above his head, he dished out the food before turning and walking towards the table. Setting a plate in front of Alex he then walked around to sit down opposite of her.

"God I think I forgive you already," Alex said looking down at her food.

"Well then I'm glad," Bobby smiled before starting to eat his own meal.

* * *

Authors Note: Okay I'm sorry this is short but I basically wrote this in a notebook and I hate pencils so it's doomed to be short. I promise that soon they'll be getting longer. Oh and check out my beta reader. She is GOD! 


	2. Chapter 2

"Eames would have known," it was out of his mouth before he could stop and think about what he was.

It wasn't his fault that some how Alex had managed to become the center of his world. No it wasn't his fault that he couldn't function normally unless she was with him. It wasn't his fault that it hurt everyday that he had to come in and look at the empty chair across from him while listening to Bishop try to tell him something about the case they where working on. He couldn't stand the red head that they had stuck him with, mainly because she wasn't Alex.

He wondered when his tiny blond haired partner had become the center of his world. He couldn't find it for the life of him, and that was what he did best, find things. It was probably gradual, like driving out of a rain storm. You couldn't pinpoint the exact location that the drops stopped falling but there was the inevitable fact they did. What he did know was that he still had a while before she came back, before that red haired devil woman left. He would be able to go back to his old habits of coming in loaded down with coffee and doughnuts just to get the smile of relief from Alex as she stole the ones he always bought for her. He would once more work until his eyes crossed and his head felt like lead just so he would be able to see that little smile of triumph she got when she knew they where close to getting whatever scum of the earth they where chasing. He had realized in this short time that if Alex where to ever leave, to ever change partners, he would probably be checked into a mental hospital. She was the last link he had to the real world.

He cursed her for being so helpful, so caring. Yet that was what made him love her. Okay he admitted it, he loved her. He could only imagine how hard it must be to have something inside of you for nine months only to have it ripped from your arms and placed in your view but out of your grasp. Alex was selfless and this was only showed for what she was doing for her family. She had told him once, after some case involving someone's child, that she wanted to have a baby of her own someday and that she doubted it would happen because if her job didn't scare away the guy she somehow did. He had mused on it the whole night how she could possibly scare guys away, she was perfect… at least to him. Of course he would probably never tell her, she wasn't the type of person to fall in love on the job. He also realize he should probably start paying attention to Bishop and whatever she was rambling about.

* * *

She was out of the hospital she had called and told him that while he was at work. And somehow instead of driving home his car had pointed to her apartment, as if on its own free will. He needed to see her, he needed to make sure she wasn't upset at all about this. There was something in her voice when she called, something he had never heard before, an uncertainty. If that wasn't enough to make him bolt from the office the second he had heard it in her voice it was definitely enough to make him rush over to see her the second he got off of work. So for the first time in over two years, Robert Goren left his job at exactly the time he was meant to. 

Alex was a little surprised when he bell range and bobby was outside. She hadn't seen him for weeks and now he was at her house with no warning. A little concerned she opened the door and let him in. She was trying to piece together the possibilities of what could have happened to make him come here with that worried face on.

"Are you okay?" they asked in unison.

"Me? I'm fine I thought something was wrong you never get out of work this early," Alex said still looking confused.

"No I was…" But Bobby trailed off knowing that telling Alex he was worried about her would open another subject, one he didn't… rather wasn't sure was safe to get into.

"You where what?" Alex asked knowing if she didn't speak up soon she would lose Bobby in his train of thoughts.

"I wanted to make sure you where feeling okay," Bobby said slowly picking the exact words he wanted to say, the last thing he needed was to anger Alex.

"I'm fine just a little tired," Alex said rolling her eyes knowing there was something he was holding back, she wasn't going to push… not just yet.

"Oh if you want I can…" Bobby trailed off once more as he gestured towards the door.

"No you can stay… god knows I need company," Alex said before heading towards the kitchen, "Want a drink?" she asked disappearing into it.

"Sure," Bobby said before sitting down.

It was a little awkward right now. Sure he had been in Alex's apartment before, hell, he had even slept over, but this was different. There weren't piles of manila folders lying around with the latest case inside of them. No tonight he was here for something that had nothing to do with work, he was worried about her. Of course he knew that if he told her he was worried about her she would kick his ass to New Jersey and back for insinuating she had a weakness.

* * *

For the next four hours they talked about everything it seemed. About how Bishop wasn't a good replacement, Alex insisted he didn't like her because she couldn't read his mind. About how Alex was getting bored with not being at work and couldn't wait until she got back, she even admitted to missing his little quirks. And then somehow they ended up sitting on her couch watching some movie with Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington. Alex had enjoyed herself by throwing bits of popcorn at Angelina every time she went to say something intelligent. Halfway through Bobby noticed that she had stopped. Only when her head fell on his chest did he notice she had completely fallen asleep. 

When the credits rolled and the clock struck ten Bobby figured he should wake Alex up before he went home. Reaching over he shook her slightly just to wake her, his only response was her falling back over when he let go. Shaking a bit harder he got a muffled response of "Go away" from what appeared to be the still sleeping Alex. Remembering she had said she was tired when he had gotten there he realized she wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. He had seen her when she had fallen into a deep sleep before, one time on a case when she hadn't slept for three days and she fell asleep at her desk. Shifting a bit Bobby stood up before reaching down and picking up the ever sleeping Alex.

Carrying her to her room he stopped just outside the door so he could shift her in his arms to open the door. He had never been in Alex's room, or even this end of her apartment before so he wasn't sure what to expect. He did a quick survey of the dark room and smiled to himself when he saw her bed, it was a complete mess. He lowered her gently on the bed not to wake her up. He attempted to straighten out the bedspread before pulling it over Alex. He stood up and looked around the room, he couldn't help it, it was habit to look at things and analyze them.

The room was rather bare in furniture, but photos there where an extreme amount. Some where what he assumed was Alex as a child with her family, red haired braids with a large smile plastered on her face as her father held her upside down. Then there was her high school graduation, she was standing in front of her parents holding her diploma with a large grin, the red had faded a lot from her hair leaving it more blond. The her academy graduation, Alex standing next to a man who appeared to have graduated about the same time. Then there was a picture that caught him off guard, he knew she had been married before, but he had never known more than that. Alex in a long white dress kissing the same man from her academy photo who wore a tuxedo. Then the photos became more spread out in time. Alex with some other girl wearing fishnets and boots she often referred to as hell boots, from her time in Vice he figured. Suddenly what caught him by surprise, more so than her wedding photo, was a photo of the two of them. They where standing next to each other, both leaning on their desks holding folders. He couldn't help but smile, he was important enough to be placed along with all her other treasured memories.

"Enjoying yourself, Goren?" Alex's sleepy voice trailed from behind him.

"Uh… I... Uh…" Bobby stammered looking much like the kid who got caught stealing from the cookie jar.

"Relax, Bobby," Alex said as he turned to face her.

She was propped up on her elbow, appearing to have been watching him for a while. He damned himself quietly for not being able to just put her in the bed and leave. No he had to stay and look at photos of her life.

"I was just amazed by how many photos you can fit on one wall," he said trying to think of a way to get out of trouble.

"No you where analyzing my life, Goren. I know that and it's okay I come to expect that from you," Alex said with a sleepy smile on her face.

"I'm sorry," Bobby couldn't help himself from saying, it was the only thing he could think to say.

He was amazed at how she managed to look so beautiful while still half asleep. He was pretty certain her mind was working on autopilot seeing as her eyelids where fluttering shut for longer than a normal blink. But somehow she was still beautiful, not like he had expected anything different from Alex.

"You're staring," Alex said even though her eyes had now stayed shut.

"Sorry," Bobby said before walking forward.

Before he could think about what he was doing Bobby walked forward and pressed a soft kiss to Alex's forehead. "Night Alex," he said before turning and leaving her room and then her apartment and building.

Suddenly Alex wasn't tired anymore.

* * *

Ah yes I feel this one is a more appropriate length. Once more I'd like to thank my Beta reader who undoubtedly had a field day with all the run-ons in this chapter. I also would like to thank underarrest39, Caia, flightRN, Secret Phoenix679, bammi1, and The Confused One. Thank you guys for your reviews it's much appreciated, I love getting feedback on my writing. Oh and If I missed anyone I'm sorry! 

Also I realized I forgot to do this in chapter One

Disclaimer: Don't own them… if I did do you really think this show would be suitable for

regular TV? Yeah me neither, Dick Wolf… yada yada yada

Oh by the way the movie with Denzel and Angelina was "The Bone Collector" it was running on USA while I was waiting to watch Law & order: CI and so I was forced to watch it… good movie though.

And another thing this may be produced a bit slower because I'm also planning to start a Law & Order: SVU fanfic…. But I'll try to do about even with both


	3. Chapter 3

"What have we got?" Alex Eames asked as she entered the alley way which people were streaming in and out of.

"Well…Caucasian, Jane Doe and beaten to death and that's about all I can give you," the tech said before gesturing to the body they had reached.

Only the figure was prominent as a girl, probably a pretty one… well at one point in time, but now her face was bashed in to the point it was unrecognizable as such. Other than that, it was hard to tell anything other than maybe height, her hair, which was a sick brown color from the all of the dried blood, and her eyes. Alex wasn't sure if they where removed or just beaten to a pulp with the rest of the girl's body.

"Detectives!" An anonymous voice announced from behind them. "One of the cops found this dumpster diving," the voice continued as another tech came into view, holding a wallet covered in dried blood.

Before Alex could even reach for the wallet Bobby had gotten there and almost had it out of the bag. She had gotten used to his antics. She now found them funny, whereas most people would find it rude what he just did. She turned her attention back to the body waiting for Bobby to announce who she was or at least show her an ID or something.

"It wasn't a mugging; everything's in here. Money, Credit cards, driver's license," Bobby started before handing Alex the leather wallet.

The driver's license showed just as she had expected—a pretty young woman, even in her license photo, in her early twenties. But what made her heart nearly stop was the name "Anna-Maria Ashford." She prayed that it wasn't the Anna-Maria Ashford she knew about, but in reality she knew it was exactly who the girl was.

Ashford, Ashford and Byington was one of the most well-known law offices in New York. Founded in the late nineteenth century by John Ashford, the law office grew from a job in some guy's basement to having offices all over the world and millions of employees. The current partners of the firm were Albert Ashford, his younger sister, Candice Byington, and Albert's eldest daughter Anna-Maria Ashford. Anna-Maria was a twenty-eight year-old law genius. From what Alex had heard from Carver's rants the Ashford's didn't just hand out partnerships to the first child with a law degree in their family. No, they had to prove themselves and Anna-Maria had an amazing record with winning cases.

"She's the Ashfords' daughter," Bobby said, pulling out a bar association card from one of the card slots.

"Great. Lawyers… make my day," Alex said sighing.

* * *

Bobby watched as Alex looked close to slamming her head into her desk. He knew she was trying to find a way to reach Albert Ashford to alert him of his daughter's death, but by the looks of it she was getting nowhere fast. He knew this case was going to be a difficult one already the runaround they were getting just trying to notify the deceased's family.

"Look, I don't give a flying fuck about his privacy just tell me where the hell Albert Ashford is!" Alex yelled into the phone before slamming it down.

"You know, detective, you could have asked me," Ronald Carver's voice said with an amused ring to it.

"Yeah, if you know where Ashford is you better tell me now before I kill someone else," Alex growled from beneath her arms.

"Albert Ashford goes golfing at noon everyday while his wife socializes in the club house," Carver said before looking a bit concerned. "Why do you need to talk to Mr. Ashford?"

"His daughter was murdered last night," Bobby intervened before Alex could throw something at Carver.

"You're joking," Carver said, looking between the two, hoping it was a joke.

"No. Anna-Maria was beaten pretty badly before and after she was killed," Alex piped in after she had regained her temper.

* * *

Alex sighed as Albert Ashford entered the room and sat next to his wife. She always hated breaking it to the families that one of their loved ones had died. Especially the parents. They always seemed to take it the worst. She couldn't imagine losing a child like that. But she had to tell them anyway and ask if they could think of any reason that their child deserved this. 

"Yes, what is it?" Albert Ashford questioned, the lawyer in his nature breaking through immediately.

"Mr. Ashford, we're very sorry but your daughter, Anna-Maria, was found murdered this morning," Bobby spoke up, relieving Alex of the duty of telling this to the family.

Alex saw it immediately. Mrs. Ashford went slack, suddenly looking as if all the Botox she had pumped into her previously flawless face had just disappeared. Mr. Ashford's lawyer demeanor suddenly changed as he all but fell into the couch next to his wife.

"That's impossible. I talked Anna last night. I rode home with her," Mr. Ashford said, sounding like all of his fight had suddenly left him.

"I'm sorry, but we have to ask. Was there anyone in particular that would want to hurt Anna?" Alex asked, suddenly feeling sorry for the lawyer.

"No… our clients were usually for us and she was loved by everyone," Mr. Ashford whispered.

"Oh god George… George!" Mrs. Ashford all but screamed as she suddenly lurched forward crying.

"Who-who is George?" Bobby asked Mr. Ashford, knowing now Mrs. Ashford would be of no help.

"George is Anna's fiancé," Mr. Ashford answered, pulling his wife to him.

"We'll leave you two alone… if I may though, where can we find George?" Alex asked, standing.

"He and Anna lived together… he's been in Japan since last month. He was set to return next week," Mr. Ashford said.

* * *

Bobby could sense the tension rolling off of Alex. George Bannerman was flying home from Japan immediately to answer questions about his fiancée. And they were nowhere with suspects. Mr. Ashford was right; all of their clients were for the law firm and Anna hadn't even been threatened in her whole time as partner with the firm. Of course, this was getting frustrating for both detectives but he was too focused on getting any hint of who would want to kill this woman than worrying about his own state of mind. 

"Eames," Alex announced into the telephone that apparently had been ringing. "Alright, thanks. We'll be down soon."

"What?" Bobby asked, looking up.

"ME has a full report for us…" Alex answered as she started to put on her coat.

"Your girl was pregnant," the ME announced, drawing the blue covering back up over Anna's face.

"You're joking?" Alex asked, looking at the lump in the blue that was the girl's face.

"Nope. From the size of the fetus I'd say three months. Along with that, while I was going over her, I found tan fibers in most of her wound," The ME said before holding up an evidence bag, adding onto the statement: "they're carpet fibers."

"So it was a dump job," Alex mused.

They hadn't been sure it was a dump job. There had been blood all around Anna when they found her. But it was obvious with carpet fibers in her wounds that she had been attacked inside a building and then while still alive and bleeding dumped in an alleyway, left for dead. Alex couldn't help but wonder if Anna was conscious the whole time. The thought made her visibly shudder.

"No one considered that. Maybe her apartment?" Bobby suggested looking at the bag, which he was now holding.

"We haven't looked there," Alex said and with that, took out her cell phone.

* * *

Bobby looked over at Alex as she got into the driver's seat of the car. She looked ready to collapse in his opinion. He also knew that by asking if she was okay would warrant a kick or possibly a knee somewhere men usually don't like being hurt. 

Sure enough, the original attack had happened at Anna's house. There was blood all over the girl's living room and hallway from the door. They left the techs to dust for fingerprints when he even admitted there was nothing other than the fact that Anna let whoever killed her in. There was no forced entry, so at least that gave them a bit of a clue; she had to have known the person. But when he looked through her date book he realized there where a lot of persons Anna knew enough to let into her house.

"You know, after all these years, I would think that one crime, at least one crime, would make sense to me," Alex announced, starting up the car, breaking Bobby out of his reverie.

"I think it's good that they don't—it means that we're not capable of doing anything like that," Bobby suggested, turning sideways in his seat to look at Alex.

"If this was someone who knew her, they had to have known she was pregnant, that she had a fiancé, and the fact that everyone loved her," Alex stated sadly. She didn't even know why this girl's death was bugging her so much.

Bobby didn't respond and instead thought on what Alex just told him. Jealousy, one of the biggest killers. Alex was right. Anna was beautiful, successful, going to be a mom, she had a fiancé, and she was loved by almost everyone she met. Even Ronald Carver admitted that Anna Ashford, one of the main reasons he lost cases, was a sweet and intelligent girl. Maybe all the hatred that went into this murder was jealousy instead of rage at something the girl had done.

Author's note: Sorry about ripping up the last chapter. But unfortunately I just could not work with that set up. But thanks for all the reviews on that one anyway! I hope you all like this one better! Oh also I got a new computer so hopefully the updates will come quicker now that I can devote all my time to my computer... (I don't think that's healthy)


End file.
